The Thestral, The Witch, and The Moonstone
by Honeydukes Sweets
Summary: When memories of her tragic past haunt Luna, she ventures into the Forbidden Forest for a midnight flight, and encounters a most unlikely person- Draco Malfoy. One-shot, but Prequel to "Path Revealed By Moonlight"


**The Thestral, The Witch, and The Moonstone**

-xox-

Author's Notes: Well this was my very first fanfiction I had ever written...from last year. I wrote it for the Forbidden Forest Challenge at The Sugar Quill, but this is my original version (I had to shorten the contest entry because they had a length limit). I hope you enjoy! It's a prequel to my newest fanfic, Path Revealed By Moonlight that I will begin posting very soon (I hope!) I hope you guys enjoy! (BTW it's a hinted Draco/Luna pairing

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter verse! ALL JKR'S!

-xox-

that aside...takes deep breath HERE WE GO!

"Reducto!"

"Ouch..."

"Did I miss?"

"Well, you didn't exactly _miss_...but you missed the table."

Luna blinked at the cloud of debris that had been a bookshelf just moments earlier. Justin Finch-Fletchley grinned as he patted the dust off himself. "It's okay...you only missed by a couple feet. At least you blew SOMETHING apart this time instead of just giving me the chills-"

He was interrupted by a whistle. "Blimey...it's already five to nine, it's time the D.A. ends tonight!" Harry called.

Hermione spotted Luna standing by herself and said quickly, "Wait, Luna...I have a favor to ask...I'll see you two later okay?"

-xox-

As Luna laid in bed, she made a mental note to send an owl to her father about Hermione's proposal of an interview with Harry about the Dark Lord's return in his magazine. She knew her father would do it especially since it would cause Cornelius Fudge to blow his top. _Mommy would have liked Hermione Granger and her zeal for her S.P.E.W. organization_, she thought. _She would have liked her friends, too. Something about that boy's eyes...he has endured so much..._She stared at the royal blue hangings...

-xox-

Celestial Lovegood's large deep blue eyes shone with excitement and concentration as she muttered to herself and checked off ingredients. This was an immensely complicated potion, but nothing compared to the spell she was trying to conjure. But it would be worth it. If she could manage to perfect her spell and potion, she would have a cure to dragon fever, and St. Mungo's would be able to help the patients ailing from the disease.

"Mummy? Why are you working at home?"

"I can't do this at the Research/Development lab at St. Mungo's, honey. Can you keep a secret?" Her eyes twinkled as her daughter nodded eagerly. "Young Augustus Pye told me how Muggles experiment without live subjects, but test tubes! Isn't this wonderful? We won't have to test on House Elves! As soon as I get the decree passed at the hearing to ban the Minister's order to test on House Elves, I can make my experimental procedures public! Now run along and play, Luna."

Luna felt a chill. Her large gray eyes darted around. "Mummy...I heard-"

"Luna, I have to finish this spell and solve this so I can win the case against Fudge..."

Luna walked away, but heard a hiss. She whirled around to see sparks flying, glass exploding and her mother's body flying through the air. She screamed as she rushed to her mother's side and stared into her blank eyes...

-xox-

Luna bolted up in her bed panting in a cold sweat. Another nightmare. She needed some air.

-xox-

She found herself wandering out of the castle and into the Forbidden Forest. It was as if her feet were guiding her. She followed the sound of water trickling into the lake ahead. From the shadows, blank white eyes looked out at her. Luna sat down and coaxed the gleaming reptilian horses out. Somehow the dark forest and its creepy noises did not frighten her. But then she heard louder noises. Her orblike eyes darted around.

"Grawp, Graaawwpyyy...?"

Luna recognized the voice as Hagrid's. "It's only me, Mr. Hagrid..." she called softly.

Hagrid glanced at her in surprise. "What are yeh doing in here? Oh I recognize you. Yeh was the only one in yer class who saw 'em thestrals, eh? Had three in me other class, but I remember you..."

Luna looked down and continued petting the thestral's shining neck. Hagrid sensed that it was best not to pry. "Tha'one's Tenebrus, my favorite. One o' his females, Eugellyn, jus' had his baby...yeh see?" Luna smiled softly as Hagrid handed her the baby thestral. Its skin was still flabby and not yet stuck to its skeleton. "Would yeh like ter name her?"

Luna pondered this. "C-could...can I call her Celestial? That was my mum's name..."

Hagrid smiled warmly. "O' course, that is a beautiful name, Luna. Celestial. Heavenly. It suits her. Yeh know, me mum left...well she's dead now, and me dad died when I was at school, it's hard I know."

Luna smiled sadly. "Daddy loves me, but he works a lot. We both miss Mommy. She was a Healer in the Magical Bugs ward. The Ministry determined it was an experimental accident." She felt her eyes well up and she opened them even wider to keep the tears in. The moonlight glistened in her glowing eyes. She didn't know how long she sat there with Hagrid. She felt at peace here in the chilly night. After she told him about her mother, Hagrid told her about the thestrals. She did not feel bothered when she saw them. People often assumed the sight of them would remind her of the past that she should avoid. On the contrary, she felt that she needed to be reminded. The thestrals calmed her. She did not want to forget her mother. Forgetting would not be accepting. "I need to be reminded about her, how brave she was, even how she die-how much her work meant to her. Don't you see that blocking this all out would only bury the wounds deeper, just make things worse?"

Hagrid nodded kindly. His eyes twinkled. "Would yeh like ter ride Tenebrus?"

Luna was speechless. She felt so at ease, and the offer was irresistible. The next moment, she was sitting sidesaddle on Tenebrus, hands wound into his mane, waving at Hagrid as they whooshed through the air. This was exhilarating, this was wonderful! The wind rushed though her dark blond hair and her moonlike eyes stared up at the moon as it hung serenely in the sky. It was just she and the stars in the expansive sky.

-xox-

Draco Malfoy walked out of the prefect's bathroom. He enjoyed taking luxurious baths with purple bubbles and thick foam late at night. However, he left in a rush because he heard giggling in the taps. It was that girl ghost who liked to spy on boys while they stripped down naked and bathed. Disgusted, he left in a hurry. He strolled down the empty corridor. He liked it like this. It was peaceful. He glanced out the window at the shining moon and did a double take. Above the Forbidden Forest looked like a girl flying through thin air. Draco's curiosity got the better of him as he slipped outside and into the Forbidden Forest...

-xox-

Luna and Tenebrus landed gracefully in the forest. Her large eyes had a new sparkle in them. "Perhaps Hagrid will let me return to ride you again," she murmured. "I WILL come back!" Her thoughts were interrupted.

"_What the bloody hell_ are you doing here at this time?"

Luna turned and saw the Slytherin prefect. He looked even more handsome in the moonlight. He stared at her, not in scorn, but in curiosity. She blinked and said, "I had a nightmare about my mum's death, so I went for a walk."

Draco studied the girl. Her windblown hair reached halfway down her back, and her face was flushed from her flight. Her large eyes seemed to penetrate his soul. He asked carefully, "but what were you _DOING_ out here..."

Luna smiled conversationally, petting Tenebrus. "This thestral was sweet enough to let me ride him. It has made me feel much better."

Draco stared. He realized she must be talking about those horses that you couldn't see unless you saw someone snuff it. He sneered. "I know you, you're that girl who always stands by herself."

"I know you. You're always skulking down the halls surrounded by your 'friends'."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "Sometimes I like my privacy. Why do you think I'm up now?"

Luna just smiled at him. Draco felt his stomach turn over. It was like she could see all his thoughts. He wet his lips nervously. "So, your name is...uh..."

"Luna Lovegood. Some people call me Loony Lovegood." She seemed quite unperturbed, plucking at her necklace of butterbeer caps, and smiling serenely.

"Right...uhm," Draco stepped closer and felt himself get lost in those deep gray eyes. Tenebrus whined. Luna blinked and smiled.

"I think Tenebrus wants to get back to see his baby. I'll take him now." She turned to walk deeper into the forest. Draco gulped and saw that she had dropped...a stone? A moonstone pendant, gray and cool, just like her eyes. He felt its cool weight in his hand as he held it gently, then slipped it into his pocket. His head snapped when he heard her soft voice.

"Usually at the end of the term I request that my belongings be returned, but you may hold onto that if you'd like."

Draco looked into her soft smiling face before she turned and disappeared into the forest.

-xox-


End file.
